Bioaccumulation of trace metals in Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae and in its fish host tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) from fish farms

Fish parasites are excellent bioindicators of environmental contamination because they respond quickly to water pollutant chemicals, and they can accumulate high concentrations of trace metals compared to their hosts. Here, we investigated the bioaccumulation pattern of the following: Cd, Ca, K, Na, Mg, Fe, Al, Zn, Ba, Mn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Co. We investigated the presence of trace metals in the acanthocephalan parasite Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae, and the bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of metals were tested in the food, muscle, and liver of its host fish Colossoma macropomum (tambaqui). We used samples from four commercial fish farms that also conduct other agribusiness activities. Tissues of the fish along with their parasites were subjected a trace metal concentration analysis by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Most of metals showed significantly higher presence in N. buttnerae than in tambaqui (p < 0.05), with increased level of Na, Pb, Ca, Mn, Zn, Al, and Fe in fish muscle and that of Cr, Ni, Zn, Al, Ca, and Ba in fish liver. Considering all the fish farms, the highest values of BAF were observed for Fe, Al, Zn, and Mn with concentrations up to 35.63, 26.88, 14.12, and 6.66 times higher in acanthocephalan tissues than in the fish muscle, respectively. Moreover, Ba, Ca, and Al showed concentrations up to 18.11, 12.18, and 11.77 times higher in acanthocephalan than in the liver of tambaqui. Our results indicate that the higher the levels of these metals in the parasite, the lower their concentrations in the muscular and hepatic tissues of the fish. Therefore, we suggest that N. buttnerae can directly influence the concentrations of trace metals in the fish tissues and accumulate both essential trace (Fe, Zn, Mn, and Ca) and toxic elements (Al, Pb, and Ba) in the host.